Kathie Lee Gifford Letter Backing Matt Lauer Stays In ‘Today’ Family

Longtime Today anchor Matt Lauer might be on the hot seat, but it appears his colleagues have his back. Kathie Lee Gifford, who co-anchors the fourth hour of NBC’s venerable morning show, has written a letter supporting Lauer and got hundreds of Today staffers — including some who’ve worked with the host for two decades — to sign it. Her original plan, according to the New York Daily News, was to run the letter as an ad in USA Today, but Lauer nixed the idea, preferring to keep the document in-house. Gifford, who co-hosted ABC’s morning talker Live! With Regis And Kathie Lee for 15 years, wrote: “We the people of the ‘Today’ show who work side by side, day by day, year in and year out with Matt Lauer are tired of unfounded and unrelenting stories by faceless characters regarding his character and reputation. No one has coerced us to sign this. With our signatures we stand in support of our colleague and friend.” No word on whether decision-makers at the Peacock share the staffers’ sentiments.